Brooke Hills Park's largest fundraiser -- the spook house -- won't open this year. It was a tough decision, park manager Janice McFadden said, but the Brooke County Parks and Recreation Commission decided to keep it closed for the season to focus on renovations.

Brooke Hills Park costs about $300,000 to maintain every year, according to park manager Janice McFadden. Because most of the park's funding comes from private donations and park revenue, keeping the park open can be difficult, she said. The park will miss out on around $30,000 without the spook house.

"Well, we'll take a big hit, to be honest with you. It makes us a good profit. It helps us pay a lot of our bills throughout the year, so it was a major decision," McFadden said.

Some residents said the renovations should be held off until after October, so the spook house can open this season.

"It's a bummer for the kids and for all of us, and for the community," said Wellsburg resident Mark Blackburn. "I know it brings money for the community and that, and now everybody has to go to the one in Ohio."

"I think for sure they should have done construction over the summer, like they do every year, and there's a lot of volunteers. I mean everybody up there volunteers to help, and I really think they should have done it over the summer instead of waiting," said Wellsburg resident Misty Blackburn.

However, McFadden said now is the right time. The park has some extra money, as Chesapeake is currently drilling wells on the property.

"If we are going to do it, we need to do it now," McFadden said. "It would just be doubling our work to wait until after October, so this is the time to do it."

The construction should begin in August, and it should take several months to complete.